CULTURE
Pick Up Stories
Shiimi: A time to remember and honor th… [CULTURE]
April marks the beginning of one of Okinawa’s most important and sacred religious ceremonies, known locally as shiimi. This particular cerem...Read More
Shisa get their day on Thursday [History Living]
April 3 is the “Day of Shisa” in Okinawa. Four is SHI, and three is SAN in Japanese. This is why April 3rd is the Day of Shisa. The day was ...Read More
Sanshin, The Heart and Soul of Okinawa [CULTURE]
The sanshin is easily the most recognizable musical instrument in Okinawa. Its distinctive, high-pitched sound can be heard throughout the i...Read More
2024.07.02
Tanabata is precursor to Obon season, and day for wishes [CULTURE]
Tanabata, also known as “Shichiseki” that takes place on July 7th, is one of the five season-related celebrations in Japan. Empress Koken is credited to have imported Tanabata to J...
2024.06.11
The Eisa Night Schedule 2024 [CULTURE Festival]
Although this year’s rainy season seems to continue into eternity, another season is about to start. Okinawa City Tourism Association is hosting a series of Eisa Nights every weeke...
2024.06.03
Itoman Haaray; a traditional and fun event in southernmost of Okinawa [CULTURE Festival]
The Itoman Haaray takes place on the May 4th of the Lunar Calendar. This day is actually June 9th 2024 of the Gregorian Calendar. Most people in Itoman adhere to the Lunar Calendar...
2024.05.02
Royal Crown Exhibition [History]
One of Okinawa’s national treasures, the Royal Crown worn by 14 kings of the Ryukyu era, goes on display tomorrow at Naha City Museum on the 4th floor of Palette Kumoji. The Royal ...
2024.04.26
Golden Week, Japan’s Mega Holiday [CULTURE Family Festival]
Spring is here. And in Japan that means warmer weather, cherry blossoms, and rainy season. But, before the rainy season takes hold and shrouds Japan in a blanket of gray clouds and...
2024.04.02
Okinawa’s guardian shisa has its own day on April 3 [History Travel & Beach]
April 3rd is the “Day of Shisa” in Okinawa as four (April) is “shi” and three is “san” in Japanese. The day was established in 2002 to promote Shisa made in the Tsuboya district of...
2023.11.01
Former Japanese Imperial Navy Underground Headquarters [History]
The Former Japanese Imperial Navy Underground Headquarters was built as a bombproof shelter for the Japanese Navy in 1944 towards the end of the World War II in the border area bet...
2023.09.20
OkiEvents this week!! [CULTURE Festival]
・9/24 Yomitan Eisa Festival @ Yomitan Athletic Field 16:00~21:00 Free to enter https://www.facebook.com/okiseikyo PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GFaoXBecSA6w1L58A ・Uruma Paripi Festi...
2023.08.15
“Eisa”, Okinawa’s Famed Tradition [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT LIFE]
These days, when people think of Okinawa, the first image that may spring to mind are dancers clad in ceremonious garb armed with taiko drums and folding hand fans. This is Eisa; a...
2023.04.19
Hamauri ritual purifies body of evil spirits [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
Hamauri is one of Okinawa’s oldest customs, a time when people cleanse themselves of evil spirits. On Mar. 3rd of the lunar calendar (April 22nd of the Gregorian Calendar in 203), ...
2022.11.10
Shuri Mifila ③ Nishi-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
Nishi-nu-fila; Nishi means ‘West’ in Japanese, but in the Okinawa dialect ‘Nishi’ means “North” and thus Nishi-nu-fila district was located north of Shuri Castle. Curre...
2022.11.08
Shuri Mifila ② Maaji-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
Maaji-nu-fila was southwest of Shurijo Castle. From an aerial view, it is spread out like a shape of a fan. It is where now the current Mawashi, Ikehata, Yamagawa, Samukawa, and K...
2022.11.05
Shuri Mifila ① Hae-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
As aforementioned last article, during the Ryukyu Kingdom era, Shuri grew into three prominent districts: “Hae-nu-fila”, “Maaji-nu-fila” and “Nishi-nu-fila”. Hae-nu-fila was locate...
2022.09.17
Land-locked Haebaru’s name is quite special [Okinawa Series]
Haebaru Town is the only municipality on Okinawa that doesn’t face the ocean, being land-locked and surrounded by six other cities and towns immediately southeast of Naha City. Its...
2022.08.23
Castle ruins is center point to Nakagusuku region [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Nakagusuku Village is the second in Japan in terms of population density, following Kitanakagusuku Village, and has also been a key community dating to the 15th cent...
2022.05.08
Okinawa’s wide variety of fruit and vegetables [CULTURE]
There are a wide variety of vegetables grown and consumed on Okinawa, a lot of which are unique to the island. In fact, a good number of Okinawa vegetables are such local specialti...
2022.05.07
Urasoe City: From Past to Present [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Urasoe City is located in the southern half of the Okinawa main island. Though it seems overshadowed by its neighboring city, Naha, which is the prefectural capital of Okinawa, bac...
2022.02.10
Old Katsuren Town ⑤ Henna & Heshikiya districts [Okinawa Series]
Waitwui Waitwui is a road once used heavily by farmers. It is well known for its rock walls features on both sides. The road is located in Henna District of old Katsuren town. The ...
2022.02.08
Old Katsuren Town ④ Tsuken Island [Okinawa Series]
Tsuken Island is a remote island off the coast of Katsuren, and like Hamahiga, was part of old Katsuren Town. Visitors need to take a ferry to the island. It is just a 30-minutes r...
2022.02.06
Old Katsuren Town ③ Katsuren Castle Ruins [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Katsuren Castle was built around the 11~12th century and has been the focal point at one time in Okinawa’s history. One Okinawa’s great lords, Lord Amawari, had presided over the c...
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